The Kairosian Army has two different types of core, mortal soldiers. The Heralds create the centre of the line with their armour, shields and spears, while the Psiloi are faster skirmishers that flank or attack the enemy from range. These dividing characteristics aren’t set in stone, and individual soldiers are encouraged to pursue roles that they are good at. For example, a Psiloi might wear heavy armour but be a skilled enough archer to be more useful outside the main lines. Armies are broken into smaller components on the field, with the whole being commanded by a Strategos.
The armies of Kairos are organised into devastatingly effective units under these leaders. Centuries of perfecting warfare have lead to extremely honed tactics and Phalanxes of Heralds are common with supporting units. Heroes and Legends may take centre stage alongside these units and Kairos fights with greater fervour than ever when they take the field.
Serving the nation of Kairos is not a sacrifice that is not compulsory but a duty many citizens aspire to. Each state pays all their serving military a fair wage, but you’ll rarely find a rich soldier. They are more than mere fodder for the powerful’s wars, though; the Kairosi predilection towards self-improvement means that many have interests and skills outside of combat that they are encouraged to pursue in their downtime. From novice artists to skilled cooks and erudite poets, the people of Kairos rarely miss an opportunity to practice their skills, military or otherwise.
Individual martial prowess is beautiful to behold and is most likely to garner songs and stories, but the people of Kairos dominate the field by working in sync with their surrounding soldiers. Trusting the people near you and being able to cover for each other’s weaknesses only comes through practice, training and friendship, and it is common for groups of soldiers to be as close as the most loved family.
Death on the field isn’t to be feared or lamented; the Kairosi attitude towards self-sacrifice and service to the state, as well as their celebration of life after someone passes, make them almost fearless in battle, knowing that if they fall serving the nation, they will be immortalised in glory until the end of time. They are not, however, likely to give their lives away cheaply. If they must die, they will do it at the most significant cost to the enemy and the most benefit to the nation.
Historically, each state had its own standing army, used to operating individually, that would each take advantage of its strengths or training styles. However, many neighbouring states now train with each other to prepare their forces for the combined operations that have become required since the beginning of the Age of Calamity.
Spell casting, rites, enchanting and weaving are jobs or personal interests and treated as such, magic users are split between the Heralds and the Psiloi depending upon their specialities as different spheres of magic or individual rites, are valued by commanders for various reasons. They’re seen as skills or abilities to be honed to better the nation. The only notable variations from this are groups that perform specific, highly revered tasks, such as the Forge Magic-wielding Masons, responsible for creating and maintaining the Kolossi or Oracles.
The Living
Each Archon and the Anax tend to have no set uniform but wear lightweight clothing to combat the heat and water, often featuring skirts or thin trousers, a thin undershirt to prevent troops from overheating, and armour made of bronze or leather. When fighting abroad, troops are provided with more suitable clothing for the generally colder climates, and thicker, more covering clothes are issued to the soldiers. However, many find them challenging to get accustomed to. These armies will primarily be composed of soldiers skilled in land warfare, coastal landings, and boat work, though they will likely lack experience in proper deep-sea combat. Heavily armoured spear and shield wall formations are utilised in land battles, with support from lightly armoured skirmishers and archers. The Kairosian forces tend to form an organised central block, allowing their lighter skirmishers to perform speedy flank attacks and utilise lethal archer volleys to pick off enemy commanders and sow disorder.
However, a Kairosian isn’t given a position as a Strategos or Demi-Strategos unless they can change tactics on the fly to avoid becoming bogged down. They have no cavalry to speak of due to the lack of landmass, availability of horses, and horses’ reactions to the large amounts of forge magic required to operate the constructs that often make up parts of their forces. However, they have been known to make alliances with or tame magical creatures and incorporate them into their forces as specialised strike forces or line breakers.
The Kolossi
Upon death, the most storied and worthy Kairosians are granted a place of great reverence within society. The Kolossi are no simple reanimated corpses but gloriously wrought statues of the deceased, created by the Forgers of The Masons. The largest of the Kolossi stands astride the gates of the capital city, Naxara. At approximately 100 feet tall, it was carved from marble to represent Parysophelia, the first Anax and founder of Kairos. Most Kolossi don’t even begin to approach that size; however, many are approximately the size of the people they originally were, their petrified remains being placed inside a statue crafted in their image. In times of great need, these Kolossi can be animated to stand again in service of their nation, a legacy that time cannot kill, so long as the statues are cared for and maintained. They are a devastating force on the battlefield, able to simply wade through enemy lines, throwing regular soldiers around like rag dolls unless they are utterly destroyed. They aren’t particularly dexterous or graceful and are incapable of independent thought, but they more than make up for it with raw power and durability and make perfect shock troops and line breakers.